Supplier Relationship Manager (Salt Lake City, Utah)

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Grade: Professional 311

Pay Range: $97,100.00 - $145,600.00

Job Description

Job Duties

• Provides supplier management lifecycle oversight of critical and complex third-party relationships. Monitors and manages the performance of their supplier portfolio to ensure agreed upon deliverables and service level commitments are met.
• Establishes clear expectations, defines key performance indicators (KPIs), and regularly evaluates supplier performance against these benchmarks. Maintains open communication lines with suppliers to address any issues or discrepancies promptly.
• Tracks and reports supplier deliverables and service level agreements, ensures accountability, mitigates potential risks, and upholds the organizations standards of quality and timeliness.
• Performs as a functional bridge amongst external suppliers as well as internal stakeholders, collaborating across the organization to coordinate the planning and execution of short- and long-term outcomes and projects to meet client and company current and future needs.
• Creates, documents, and facilitates internal change management processes and routines to introduce and drive adherence to supplier management operational rigor and routines, creating conditions for success by removing obstacles, and championing evolution of how work is delivered.
• Proactively assesses and analyzes supplier operations to identify any potential risks that may impact the organization’s performance, business continuity, brand, reputation, and security.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends in issues and create strategies and recommendations for improvement and resolution.
• Identifies process improvements that will result in positive outcomes for all stakeholders.
• Fosters partnerships with suppliers, the broader Procurement team members, and internal business stakeholders to foster collaboration and to identify and recommend improvement opportunities.
• Researches business strategies and recommends best practices and changes in technology related to the performance of Academic Program initiatives.
• Ensures overall quality, consistency, and functionality of all work by team members to ensure a high level of performance and engagement from all team members in each functional group.
• Establishes appropriate performance metrics for direct reports and ensures accountability.
• Works with cross-functional teams regarding contract, billing, validity, and escalated issues.
• Ensures compliance with policies and procedures pertaining to supplier relations by Academic Program employees.
• Works with team members and other internal stakeholders to conduct regular supplier business reviews.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

KSAs

• Exceptional relationship management skills and ability to influence decisions at executive leadership levels
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic and organizational change delivering intended results and outcomes
• Strong executive-level communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively navigate and mediate conflict and foster direct dialog with suppliers, external clients, employees, account partners, and internal business teams.
• Strong analytical skillset and critical thinking (i.e., ability to compile, interpret and analyze data to make fact-based recommendations and decisions)
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and direct team activities and results<